Membrane Separation
Membrane: The Concept
A membrane is a selective barrier; it allows some things to pass through but stops others. Such things may be molecules, ions, or other small particles. The degree of selectivity of a membrane depends on the membrane pore size. Depending on the pore size, they can be classified as microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. Two operation modes for membranes can be used. These modes are:
Dead-end filtration where all the feed applied to the membrane passes through it, obtaining a permeate. Since there is no concentrate stream, all the particles are retained in the membrane. Raw feed-water is sometimes used to flush the accumulated material from the membrane surface.
Cross-flow filtration where the feed water is pumped with a cross-flow tangential to the membrane and concentrate and permeate streams are obtained. This model implies that for a flow of feed-water across the membrane, only a fraction is converted to permeate product. This parameter is termed “conversion” or “recovery”. The recovery will be reduced if the permeate is further used for maintaining processes operation, usually for membrane cleaning.
Our scope of services
Ascertaining membrane filtration feasibility in your application
As per the application, primary lab-scale studies would be performed to develop the understanding regarding the implementation of membranes.
Selection of appropriate cut-off and material
Once the fundamentals are clear about the usage, R&D is performed to select the appropriate pore size or MWCO to get the best output. Appropriate membrane material is also finalized.
Optimizing parameters for maximum recovery / purification
Once the membrane hardware is set in place, trial runs are performed to completely optimize the parameters of separation for the desired output.
Vendor selection and large scale integration
Once the client is satisfied with the research work, scaling up is the next target. We refer the best membrane vendor according to the client’s requirements and help you in LSI (large scale integration).
Applications across industries
Pharmaceuticals
- Fermentation downstream; concentration and purification
- Concentration and purification of API (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient)
- Isolation and separation of enzyme and protein
- The concentration of vaccine and blood products (concentration)
Food & Beverages
- By-product value addition and water recycling in distilleries and wineries
- High-value product concentration from by-products or wastewater
- Concentration of protein and reducing process wastewater
- Purification and concentration of fruit juices and herbal extracts
Chemical Industry
- Purification of inorganic materials
- Desalination and concentration of organic emulsions
Reduces load on ETPs and STPs across industries